Grief

Grief can be defined as "keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss." Many life-changing events can cause people to experience grief. Grief is an emotional response to a significant deviation from one's normal living expectations. Grieving is most often caused by death of a close relative or friend, although individuals can also experience grief when confronted with serious  medical concerns and long-term or terminal illness. Individuals also grieve over divorce, the loss of pets, and other major losses.

Grief is often characterized as a process for coming to terms with and overcoming significant change. This process duration and depth varies from person to person, and with the impact of the incident that caused initiation of the process. Additionally, the process in not necessarily linear, but usually progresses logically.

Upon communication of a grieving event, people experience disbelief and denial. They are astonished at what has occurred and do not think that it is possible. Once the individual is able to fathom that the event has, in fact, occurred, then they become angry that it has happened. They often feel that they have been wronged, and they can be resentful of others that are not in the same situation. Depending on the situation, the griever many next try to 'make a deal' in hopes of avoiding the situation. Commonly, guilt will make the person feel as though they have done something to deserve the situation. Progressively, the person will become accustomed to the situation and feel very sad and overwhelmed. Eventually, acceptance of the situation should occur, so that the person can become hopeful of the rest of their life's activities and goals.